Leibach v. McDonald's

Stella Leibach was awarded $2.9 million in a lawsuit against McDonald's after she spilled hot coffee on her lap while sitting in her car and claimed it was too hot. Judge Robert Scott would later reduce the amount of punitive damages from $2.7 million to $480,000 based on what's known as treble damages. The story was picked up in newspapers around the world because of the sensational millions of dollars that she was never truly awarded. Republicans harnessed that anger during the 1994 midterms and pitched a singular message called the contract with America led by Newt Gingrich.